Beard Oil: What is it and What Does it Do?

This entry was posted on February 19, 2018 by The English Shaving Company.

A lot of men can get complacent about the maintenance of their facial hair. Perhaps you trim it occasionally or shave your neckline to keep it neat, but there are a lot more ways you should be looking after your beard in order to get the best (and most attractive!) look. Beard oil is one of the most popular products for this as it helps to craft a well maintained and groomed appearance.

What is Beard Oil?

Beard oil, as you might have guessed, is oil… for your beard. It usually comes in small bottles that offer a few drops at a time and is packed full of essential oils. These include everything from macadamia oils to jojoba, which do incredible things to both your facial hair and skin. There are a lot of varieties of beard oil that contain different ingredients and come in different fragrances, but they should all offer the same essential qualities and effects.

What does it do?

Conditioning

One of the primary functions of beard oil is to condition your facial hair. This is a vital step in keeping your beard at its best - it makes a massive difference to both the feel and the look of your hair. All the oils that make up your beard oil will have slightly different conditioning properties.

Not only do softer hairs mean a nicer-looking, more attractive beard, but they also make your beard more comfortable. When your hair is wiry, it’s more likely to irritate your skin as it rubs against it. This causes itchiness and, for some men with sensitive skin, even rashes. Conditioning your beard keeps it both looking and feeling good.

Hydrating

As well as softening your hair, beard oil also treats the skin underneath. Skin can become dry due to the weather, exposure to heat, or any number of day-to-day occurrences. If your skin becomes too dry, it can lead to flakiness and you can trust us on this one - beard dandruff is not a good look! Beard oil moisturises your skin and keeps it hydrated, preventing flaky and itchy skin.

Styling

Alongside the conditioning and hydrating effects, beard oil also helps with styling. It keeps your beard hairs more under control and, with softer hair, it’s much easier to comb, trim and shape. As the essential oils also strengthen and condition your hair, your beard takes on a shinier and healthier appearance.

Growing Your Beard

When you first begin growing your beard, oil is especially handy. You will inevitably experience itchiness as your facial hair starts to grow, but oil can minimise this. Because it softens the hairs and moisturises your skin, it helps to prevent the hair from tickling, scratching, and irritating your face. Skin cells flaking off can also cause itching - beard oil minimises this flakiness, keeping you as itch-free as possible.

How to Use Beard Oil

The best time to use beard oil is right after you wash your face and facial hair. We would recommend using a specially formulated beard wash designed to work with the natural oils in your beard rather than remove them as a standard shampoo might. The warm water opens your pores meaning the oil can be better absorbed. It’s also important because your skin is more vulnerable to drying out after you wash it as the natural sebum can be removed when washing with hot water.

Depending on the length of your beard, you can either use your hands or a beard comb or brush to apply the oil. If your beard is shorter, simply put some oil on your hands and massage it into your beard and face, ensuring that you get right down to your skin.

If you have a longer, thicker beard, you’ll need to use a beard comb or brush in order to evenly distribute the oil throughout your beard. It really does add an extra dimension to your beard, and helps it to look well maintained and groomed. Although we do recommend semi-regular washing of your beard, you don’t need to wash the oil out daily - simply leave it to be absorbed by your hair and skin.

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